Portable Audio Devices, such as MP3 Players, Smartphones, etc., are often used with headphones in a variety of situations. Unfortunately, headphones can be unsafe in some of these situations and there are situations in which headphones are simply not permitted. For example the wearing of headphones can reduce the ability of a person to hear extraneous sounds and therefore the person may not recognize dangerous or important situations (e.g., an oncoming vehicle, an approaching attacker, emergency instructions, etc.)
Portable speaker systems exist that are not worn in or on the ears. Some of these portable speaker systems can be attached to items such as clothing. For example the speaker by Safe Sound Sports can be clipped onto a shirt, while the speaker described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,585 can be pinned to a shirt. However, such speakers are inconvenient because they can damage the clothing and can limit other uses of the speaker. In addition, portable speaker systems which merely clip to the shirt are limited to edges that can hold the clip, which offers little support for the speaker. The speakers are fastened to the shirt but have a great deal of movement to pull at and annoy the user.
Portable audio devices have truly changed the way that users are able to enjoy music. With the size of audio speakers shrinking, a speaker system will soon have no noticeable weight or any restrictions on the free movement of the user.